The migrant personality and college students’ plans for geographic mobility

Desires to stay in Pittsburgh or leave the region after graduation were assessed in a sample of 1805 undergraduates. Overall, about equal percentages wanted to stay and leave. Those higher in family centrality, affiliation motivation, attending religious services and wanting a job with more time for family were more likely to want to stay in the Pittsburgh area. Those higher in work centrality were more likely to want to leave. Regression analysis indicated that being high in family centrality was the most important predictor of the desire to stay, followed by being low in power motivation, and attending religious services more often. Women wanting to stay were found to want more children. These data suggest that appeals to family concerns may an effective strategy for communities concerned about losing young adults through migration.